Surround yourself with beauty ...

Great feature in the Saturday papers on Twig (in Tetbury), a former bakery, now flower shop, which touched on various things that are important to me, especially roots and connection. The owner spoke about how she and her husband bought their beloved home, lost it (she kissed each and every wall goodbye) and then re-bought it. It was the same connective story about restoring the property, if you don’t do the work yourself, where is the connection? Quote of the article for me: ‘If you are a creative person and you want to be happy, it is up to you to push yourself and surround yourself with beauty’.

Happy New Year! Yes, I know I’m a day late, but it never really feels like the New Year to me until the sun shines … which it did today. New Year Resolution? It’s simply to continue on my journey of minimal consumption. That’s not to say that I intend to buy nothing this coming year, just that I want to continue and strengthen my efforts in purchasing only beautiful things that can stay with me, if not forever, then a considerably lengthy period of time. More soon …!

Picture © a détacher (whose basket perfectly illustrates my point).

The Book Jungle - St Leonards.

Pauline Boty

I went to see the Pauline Boty exhibition in Wolverhampton last week. Amazing (and what a treat to have the entire room to myself). The exhibition catalogue wasn’t ready so I have a good excuse to go back! I visited Birmingham too on the same day. It must be ten years since I was last in the city. Much changed but the amazing food market still exists and beats London’s chi chi food markets and their incessant bloggers hands down.

Threads

Ebay can still throw up the odd treasure. Vintage Indian bag with loose threads, worn embroidery, repairs and holes (plus a new shoulder strap) for a mere £2.20. Oh yes!

Earth, Music and Ecology

I couldn't resist buying something I spied with the best brand name ever: 'Earth, Music and Ecology'. Alas, that something doesn't fit ... a lesson learned!

Cockney Ding Dong

I am still in the kitchen... Cooking along to this and singing along to this (I’m a sucker for a beautifully illustrated book).